Butlins review thread. Non-testers: Tell us what makes the perfect family holiday in the UK and you could win a £200 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

This thread is for the ten lucky MN families who are going on a Butlins holiday over the next few months.

Butlins say “We have been providing family breaks for nearly 80 years, and although we’ve changed with the times, many people still believe that we’re old fashioned and run down. We’re looking to change these negative perceptions and show Mumsnetters that we’re a 21st century holiday destination, which offers brilliant family breaks at great value for money”

Testers are visiting the Skegness, Bognor Regis and Minehead resorts – check back to this thread to find out how they are getting on.
We have asked testers to add feedback at least twice - before they go and when they get back home.

Non testers: Butlins would love to know what makes the perfect family holiday in the UK. Everyone who adds a comment will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £200 John Lewis voucher, so that they can get stocked up for the holiday season.

Please note: comments may well be used by Butlins on social media and elsewhere. Your MN name will not be used.

Testers – please share on this thread your overall opinion and experience plus your responses to the following questions.

Before you go

• Where are you going? How far it is from your home?
• Who is in your group?
• Have you ever been on a Butlins holiday before?
• What are you looking forward to most? What are the DC looking forward to?
• How was the booking process?
• What are your perceptions of Butlins?
• What made you apply to visit Butlins?

When you are back

• Overall opinions from you and others in the family
• Describe your accommodation
• Describe your dining experiences
• Did your break meet or exceed your expectations?
• What activities have the kids enjoyed?
• What activities/entertainment did you enjoy as a family?
• Was there anything that surprised you about your break/Butlins?

How would you rate/ describe...

• Food
• Accommodation
• Activities
• Entertainment
• The Butlins team
• Things to do for adults
• Things to do for children
• Things to do as a family
• Would you return/ try out another Butlins resort?
• What did you think about the value for money – especially compared to other family holidays?
• Any other comments?

Please also do add a review on Mumsnet to the Self Catering pages.

Thanks
MNHQ

PS We've 'highlighted' the testers posts on this thread so we can see them!

Perfect family holiday . . . I feel 'perfect' would be one where we are in a different place from the kids! Holidays with kids are not 'holidays', but at least you aren't faced with all the stuff at home and you can actually enjoy talking to them and spending time with them without being distracted. The things that make a good holiday for us are: a big tent, sunshine and a campsite where the children can make friends and feel safe enough to go off and play. We were lucky enough to get all of these in Cornwall this year.

For us a perfect UK family holiday would have clean accommodation at a luxury level. Would be in an area of natural beauty but with plenty of amenities and places of interest within easy reach. Of course good weather would be a bonus as would having friends and relatives holidaying with us.

Non tester here.

For me- the most important thing is accomodation. If I'm paying to stay somewhere then it has to be of a certain standard and it has to be spotless.

I'm not fussed about en site gimmicks etc because we usually decide to go places based on where they are and what there is to do in the area.

Non tester with two young children (4&1)

The perfect UK holiday:

Being able to check in late if needed so we can travel at night whilst the children sleep.
Clean accommodation with ready made beds/ travel cots when we arrive.
Having a safe area for the children to play (ideally a small area with direct access from the accommodation - patio/ balcony etc.
Family friendly dining times. We stayed at Butlins and couldn't access breakfast until 8.00. Our children wake between 5.30 & 6.30 so it was too late for us. Breakfast should be served from 7 or at the latest 7.30 when staying in a hotel.
Plenty of highchairs available for when lots of families dine at the same time.
Somewhere to store a pushchair when in the accommodation.
A swimming pool :-)
2p machines - my boys go crazy for the 2p machines.
Family friendly entertainment with space for all guests.
Lots of outdoor space & near to a beach.
No wifi
On site shop
Being together - the rest is just stuff.

Non tester with 3 DC 3-8

Ideal UK holiday - good weather!

Plenty to do when weather isn't good.
I like places where you can self-cater and have own space but has facilities nearby (catering, pool, play areas, games room etc).

Little things like bed linen and towels, some kitchen basics (salt, pepper, oil, tinfoil) being provided and tea and cake on arrival all help.

Some games or DVDs to borrow also helpful and up-to-date info on local attractions, bike hire and so on.

Basically though my DC would be happy with a beach, chips, ice cream and a TV for quiet time. To be perfect there'd be a pool and water slides too.

(Visited Skegness 15-19 September)
When you are back

• Overall opinions from you and others in the family

We really liked it! Our 3 yo had an amazing time and, as I've said before, if he's happy, we're all happy.

• Describe your accommodation

We were in a gold apartment and the outside area was lovely, very well kept and pleasant looking - not what I'd expected. Inside the apartment was clean and well thought out. The kitchen had everything we wanted and everything worked. The French windows were open when we arrived and I really struggled to close them, then found that there was actually a gap around an inch square at the bottom where the doors met. There was also Sellotape holding the batteries into the remote for the TV. Other than that everything was in working order. We missed having a bath in the bathroom as bath time is part of our routine in the evening but we survived! The sofas and beds were very creaky, as were the doors, which we wouldn't normally have bothered us but, when you're trying to sneak out after finally getting your baby to sleep, it matters...

• Describe your dining experiences

We had the choice of The Deck or The Yacht Club to eat. The Deck is by far the biggest and has the biggest selection of food (chargrilled things, wok station and I believe there were omelettes/pancakes in the morning) but it was also the loudest - verging on rowdy when the break is full of preschoolers! The Yacht Club is more cosy with carpetted floor so the noise doesn't carry as much and still has plenty of food to choose from. My 3yo even managed to find something to eat and he's pretty faddy. DS2 (8 months) is only just getting the hang of solids so couldn't manage most of the baby food on offer. A strange little thing though - nowhere could we find a small spoon to feed him, the cutlery near the baby food was plastic but full size. There were no teaspoons anywhere!

• Did your break meet or exceed your expectations?

Definitely met them very well. The sheer variety of activities on offer was fantastic for DS1. The resort itself, the food and the accommodation I couldn't really fault. The only thing that let it down unfortunately was some of the other guests. I'm not sure how to put this but I didn't think that people really smoked around their children any more. So many parents did this. I went out early for a run one morning and the only other people I saw were standing outside their doors smoking. Also drinking - we were in a play area in the pavilion (little tikes town - full of the little red and yellow cars and similar things to play on. It was brilliant for DS) and parents were sat supervising their children there whilst drinking cans of beer at 4.30 on a Tuesday afternoon. I know they're on holiday but this it didn't sit well with me. Call me a snob by all means!

• What activities have the kids enjoyed?

DS1 (3) LOVED the little fairground and had to be dragged away a couple of times. We all enjoyed the pool - at busy times there weren't enough family changing rooms but then again they can't make more just for the tots breaks! The soft play area was very well equipped but set within an amusement arcade that was a bit tired and dingy. There was also a play area outside the sun and moon pub that he loved. It had big slides and ladders, nets etc to climb on. Not having many children older than DS meant he wasn't going to get pushed around so was safe to play without us following him round. We also tried the messy play studio, which was really nice to have some less active time and the staff there were lovely (as they were everywhere).

• What activities/entertainment did you enjoy as a family?

Swimming! It was great that there was a big water slide we could take DS1 on. DH and I also tried out the two adult slides too, which scared me silly! We also had a lovely time at the beach as we were blessed with a couple of warm sunny days.

• Was there anything that surprised you about your break/Butlins?

How much we liked it and how lovely the gold accommodation was, especially outside. The staff were also wonderful and I was impressed at the thought that had clearly gone into everything.

How would you rate/ describe...

• Food 9/10 - couldn't really fault it. I'm on weight watchers at the moment and could generally find things I was allowed to eat, though I did fall off the wagon with all the temptation (still lost 1lb that week though due to all the walking, swimming and a run around the resort one morning).
• Accommodation 7/10 - great location, amenities and space but not exactly comfortable. Hard and squeaky beds!
• Activities 10/10 - I don't know what more there could have been to entertain DS1. He was in heaven!
• Entertainment 7/10 - it looked great but DS1 has a very short attention span so we didn't see a lot of the shows etc.
• The Butlins team 10/10 - lovely people, even the people clearing plates in the restaurant were very friendly when DS started asking them their life story.
• Things to do for adults - can't really score this! There wasn't a great deal of this on offer but we'd have had no chance to see it anyway as bedtime is a two person job for our family. I imagine if, for example, we'd come with grandparents we would have found something to do in the evenings with the bars, restaurants and live music.
• Things to do for children 10/10 - as I said before, I don't really know what else there could be!
• Things to do as a family 8/10 - plenty for your average family, but with a 3 year old and an 8 month old baby, we don't have many pastimes in common apart from swimming.

• Would you return/ try out another Butlins resort? This one is really hard to answer - we loved the resort and all the activities but didn't feel like we fitted in with the other guests. We've discussed it quite a lot since coming home and I still don't think we've decided yet. We've been to Center Parcs before and felt more 'at home' there but there wouldn't be as much for DS1 to do there. If the price was right I do think we'd be very tempted but the price probably isn't that different to a last minute deal for CP.

• What did you think about the value for money – especially compared to other family holidays? Our break (4 nights, gold apartment, premium dining) was worth £581 according to our paperwork. I think this was good value considering most of our food was included. We paid £275 for 3 nights at Center Parcs (last minute) but then had food to pay for and, apart from the pool and soft play, very little is included in the price.

• Any other comments?

I had the family friendly survey in mind while we were there and, as a breastfeeding mum, I didn't feel 'at home' there. I think I saw two other women breastfeeding the whole time we were there. As a lot of the resort is open plan there weren't any cosy corners to breastfeed in. I'm pretty comfortable breastfeeding in public but I saw one lady who was obviously very uncomfortable and wondered if I'd have felt the same with a first/new baby.

Non tester

The perfect family holiday is about having a break from routine of daily life with something for everyone. Things that will amuse the children and engage the adults. Also a space for mum and dad to relax at the end of the day and feel just a little pampered.

But most of all it is just about being together as a family.

Non-tester

I think the key to a perfect UK family holiday is a good location (which would be close to a beach for us) and clean accommodation, with plenty of close car parking spaces and decent play park facilities nearby.

Non-tester

A perfect holiday in the UK would definitely be a trip to the seaside with no queues, fish and chips, ice cream, a bit of sunshine (but not yo much), a nice dinner in a foodie pub followed by a night in a cute B&B.

Oh and well-behaved kids! :)

I love holidays with lots to do ... especially in the UK as the weather can be dicey and sitting on a beach week is not feasible ...

One of our best holidays in the UK per my kids was a week at man activity hotel. We could pick lots of different activities to do and sign up for tennis classes, curling, racing, jewellery making etc to fill our day.

There was really so much to do and it was very reasonably priced. We has times to relax too but kids were so excited to try so many new things

Happy kids makes happy parents so good holiday overall.

I love going on holiday with my family, what is most important to me is that we can all have fun. easy to find the site, parking, and cost are considerations. It would have to have entertainment in the evenings and a pool for my son, I like the beaches and my Oh likes scenic walks. I choose sites based on recommendations from other family's and love to holiday both in the uk and abroad.

Non tester.

An ideal UK break would involve warm days and breathtaking scenery, a hot tub and privacy with the option of hiring bikes to explore. Maybe a swimming pool nearby, a local pub and somewhere for a fire pit.

Non-tester. Good (doesn't have to be great) weather. A decent indoor pool and good, clean accommodation. A nearby takeaway is handy too!

Non tester - We usually go camping, so fairly good weather! We'd also look for good cycling paths and walking trails with access to local shops. A good children's play area and some indoor activities nearby for rainy days are a definite bonus too.

Non tester but my perfect family holiday would be in a child friendly cottage (we have stayed in so many that aren't really able to cater for smaller children) somewhere on the coast within 3 hours drive of home (anymore is too far). It would come with a chef who provided meals just like we like them without any effort for me. The location would have lots of things within walking distance and a short drive and be easily accessible to get to. Quiet and peaceful too.

Non Tester-What makes a perfect holiday is something which is cheap and contained i.e where everything is within walking distance or a short bus ride so everything is quick and easy to get to. Also in close proximity to buy food!

Non-tester here

The perfect family holiday would have to include good clean living accommodation, a pool, lovely walks and beautiful scenery, good, wholesome and tasty food, plenty of activities for the children and some sort of relaxation stuff for adults such as a spa or beauty/massage treatments. It would also be nice to have some evening entertainment or TV/DVD facilities for rainy days. Nice, friendly staff would be a plus too. It would also have to be easy to get to. Sounds perfect - now where is this place and can I book it now?

The perfect family holidays involve lots to do and see, time to relax, good food, perfect weather (which might be rain so we can stay in, legitimately) and time away from the rest of the world of work and school.

Non tester: For a great holiday I would want excellent food; great weather; plenty to do and see; lots to keep the children occupied in good and bad weather; clean and litter free outside spaces and clean and comfortable accommodation.

Non-tester.

Quiet caravans at night...we've been before where they obviously allow stag/hen parties...never again.

Indoor pool facilities, a saving grace when raining.

Children's playground with equipment for all ages...no good when there are only things for older kids to play on and vice versa.

If we go on holiday in the UK it's usually more for the kids than us, so we really like to make sure there's lots to give the kids a great time.

The perfect family holiday for us would be somewhere we could enjoy the peace but not to far from activities for when the peace gets to much for the dc.

Non Tester

As an avid Butlins holidayer when younger, my childhood memories were of wonderful adventures, playing and entertainment was second to none.

As an adult and parent of three now, we returned to Butlins last year and I have to say it still felt as magical. Lots for the children and adults to do, such varied options.

Wonderful. And would return again

NON TESTER

A perfect family holiday in the UK for me would include: nice dry weather (!), a good choice of family friendly (but with good food, not just pizza and chips) restaurants, a wide range of activities to choose from for toddlers as well as options for days out nearby, and luxurious accommodation with a separate bedroom for our little one and a nice space to spend the evening when he's in bed. Room service also a nice bonus! :)

Tester

Oo, Hello :) waves

We're very excited as we are one of the lucky families who have been chosen to go on a Butlins Holiday! We are going this weekend 31st October - 3rd November, (4 more sleeps!) for a Halloween and Fireworks weekend.

So here's my answers to the 'Before you go' questions!

Before you go

• Where are you going? How far it is from your home?

We are off to Bognor Regis, and according to Google, it's 176 miles from our home and will take us about 3.5 hours to get there! We were originally booked in at the much closer Minehead resort, but it clashed with an adult weekend, so we swapped over to Bognor.

• Who is in your group?

So, there's me and my two kids, ds5 and dd11 and my long suffering boyfriend, who doesn't live with us, but comes away with us lots....he's not quite sure what he's let himself in for! Actually, come to that, neither am I. But the kids are well up for it!

• Have you ever been on a Butlins holiday before?

I've NEVER been to Butlins, ever. In fact I'd go as far to say, I'm a complete holiday snob, and until I met DP, I'd never even been on a package holiday....the only Butlins I've ever been close to is the derelict one on Barry Island...!

• What are you looking forward to most? What are the DC looking forward to?

Well, we've all got the Butlins App, and we've been looking through it all. The kids have earmarked the Scooby Doo show, Dick and Dom and a Freddie Mercury Tribute act! I don't think that they've taken on board all the fairground rides, and swimming that they can do! They've also extensively toured 'the room' on the 360 degree room viewing page on the website, and are most impressed with their sleeping arrangements...DS has already claimed the top bunk. DP has spotted 2 hours of wrestling on the Saturday night, and is already fondly reminiscing about it being on the telly on Saturday lunchtimes when he was a kid...so he's quite looking forward to that! I think DS5 might be getting an initiation into the world of Superslam Wrestling. Between me and DP we are already negotiating who does what activity with which child....Oh, and I've spotted the Spa, so I'm thinking that if I agree to accompany the kids to Scooby Doo while he goes to the pub for a quiet pint, the payoff might be an hour or two to myself in there!

• How was the booking process?

Errr, ok...except we had to change venue because of being mistakenly booked on an adult weekend, which was fine.., and I went through a few days of phoning up and explaining the whole story again to different people before I finally got it sorted. All staff were very polite and helpful though.

The only other thing is that my dd has Cerebral Palsy but is only an occasional wheelchair user, and I was a bit frustrated after calling to find out about disability access to shows, i.e. was it possible to go in slightly early, so that she would be able to have a seat if we didn't have the wheelchair with us, as she would struggle to stand through a show. After calling up, it appears that they are happy to allocate a free pass to the person with a disability, and a carer, but it is at their discretion, and they will only decide when you get there. I was a bit frustrated, as having a seat for her to see a show is a bit of a deal breaker, without a seat her disability means it won't be much fun for her... so it would have been nice to know IF this was possible or not, before we got there. I didn't want to arrive and find out it wasn't possible, and then none of the limited B-Line passes were left, meaning that she would have to drag her wheelchair everywhere. So in the end, we decided to take advantage of the B-Line passes, which give you early entry into the shows. We couldn't get one just for me and her though, but had to buy them for all of us. I've been assured that this means that we will be able to get a seat for her...and probably the rest of us! (I've had massive issues with this on a personal moral level, as I'm always the one outraged at people who pay extra to board aircraft first! But we wanted the weekend to be enjoyable without any difficulties for her, so made the decision to do that)

• What are your perceptions of Butlins?

Honestly?? I've never ever considered it for a family holiday, until the last year or so, when I've heard good positive reviews from friends. Until then, the idea of a 'holiday camp' type break away, filled me with horror. We've also got family pictures of my mother, now in her 70's, aged about 13, dressed as 'Eve' as in 'Adam and Eve' at a Butlins fancy dress competition back in the 1950's. It always makes me laugh, and that picture is currently what is in my head..... as I'm now having to pack Vampire and Witch fancy dress costumes for our Break...some 60 years later!

• What made you apply to visit Butlins?

Well, I wanted to find out if it's a good as it appears. It looks organised, and efficient....the hotels look nice, the website, and social media is well organised...and the kids tell me it's ACE. Their friends all want to come with us. I'm feeling slightly guilty that we go to a remote villa in very rural Italy every year, and I never take the kids anywhere like this. We've never been on a holiday like this before, never done Disney, or any other theme park type holiday....so hell yeah...let's go for it! Bring it on, we can't wait!